The ends of cigars



NJPETERS. FMO O-LITHOGRAPM ER, WASHINGTON D C j myoy.

gem 19ft P. A. LA FRANCE, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF ANDHENRY R. KENDALL.

Letters Patent No. 86,764, dated Febrha/ry 9, 1869.

MACHINE FOR TRIMiMING- THE ENDS OI CIGARS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, P. A. LA FRANCE, of Elmira, in the county ofOhemung, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Devicefor Trimming Cigar-Ends; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable othersskilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 represents a side view of my improved cigar-trimmer.

Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the same.

Figure 3 is a side view of a modification of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a new machine for trimming the ends of cigars,and especially the thick ends,

which, for cigar-makers use, it is of great importance to' have nicelyexecuted, as thereby, also, the length of the cigars is regulated.

The invention consists of a grooved bed, on which the cigar issupported, and of two cutters, operating like shears, one of them beingsecured to the edge of the bed, while the other is pivoted to be swungup and down at will.

A spring keeps the knives apart, so that the machine is always in aposition ready 'for'action.

A, in the drawing, represents a wooden or other bed or board, made ofsuitable size, and provided on its face with a gpoove, a, which issufficiently large to receive acigar.

To one edge of the bed is fastened, by means of screws 1) b, orotherwise, a fixed knife, B, which has a concave cutting-edge, c, andwhich is so placed that the cutting-edge is opposite the large end ofthe groove a, so that a cigar can be placed in the groove with its thickend upon the edge a.

Ois a knife, pivoted by means of a pin, d, to the edge of A, andprovided .with a cutting-edge, e, as shown in fig. 1.

- When the knife 0 is swung down, its cutting-edge will come opposite tothat of the cutter B, and the two knives will sever the end of the cigarprojecting. beyond thebed.

A spring, D, serves to hold the knife G up as long as it is not used,and apin, f, arrests the knife,so that it cannot be thrown up too 'farby the said spring.

g is the handle of the knife 0.

Near the groove a may, on the bed A, be marked a scale, or index, as ath in fig. 1. The object of this would be to indicate the length of the;cigar, so that where a large number has to be trimmed, they may all bemade of equal length.

By modifying the form of the cutter B, so as to make it of annularshape, as in fig. 3, the device, which is otherwise constructed asabove-described, maybe used for cutting oil the points of cigars.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination,with the concave or annular fixed knife B 0 c, afiiixed to the groovedbed A, which is graduated at h, of the pivoted concave knife 0, and thespring D, all constructed, arranged, and operating as'described, for thepurpose specified. P. A. LA FRANCE;

Witnesses:

FRANK BLooKnnY, ALEX, F. RoBERTs.

